Jalna Collector urges Manoj Jarange Patil to call off hunger strike
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil has been on hunger strike for five days. | Photo credit: ANI
After his blood sugar level dropped, Jalna District Collector Ashima Mittal appealed to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil to end his fast on Wednesday, the fifth day of his hunger strike (September 2, 2026).
Meanwhile, activists from the Maratha community staged a rasta roko (road blockade) in Chikhali Pati area of Dharashiv district, blocking the Dharashiv-Latur road and several places in Dharashiv, Beed, Jalna and Solapur districts, demanding resolution of their demands on the quota issue. The two-hour protest disrupted traffic.
“We are implementing all the resolutions issued by the government so far and the government is positive about it (solving the problem). I am asking him (Mr. Jarange Patil) on behalf of the government to call off his hunger strike as his health condition is deteriorating. We will continue the dialogue. This is not (a) last fight; communication will continue,” Ms. Mittal said during her visit to Mr. Jarange Patil in Jarange Patil’s Antar district.
However, Mr. Jarange Patil refused to withdraw the strike and said that the demands raised by the protesters included a decision at the state level. He asked Ms Mittal if she was there to defend the government and advised her not to get involved. “I respect you but I will not accept your explanation. I request you not to come here to negotiate any of the demands,” said Mr. Jarange Patil.
“Why is the government not meeting him (Mr. Jarang Patil) instead of sending bureaucrats? Why is the government’s resolution not being implemented? What is the state-appointed committee doing? Manoj dada is not in good health. If anything happens to him, the state will be on fire,” said one of the protesters.
On 29 August 2026, Mr. Jarange Patil started a protest for the eleventh time against the issue of reservation for Marathas. The focus of the protest this time is the implementation of reservation for Marathas in the Kunbi category. Referring to the Shinde Committee Report, Mr. Jarange Patil claimed that the Satara District Gazetteer and the Hyderabad Gazette have 58 thousand records which genealogically link the Marathas with the Kunbis. The government has capped these numbers, canceled the issuance of Maratha caste certificates and prevented validation of the issued certificates, the quota activist alleged.
Published – 02 Sep 2026 22:42 IST